TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Box Art:

Blackjack's review: Springer

Name: Springer
Allegiance: Autobot
Function: Kicking Decepticon skidplate
Subgroup: ROTF Legends Class

"I've got better things to do tonight than die." One of the most memorable lines in the original Transformers: the Movie. Springer was shoehorned introduced into the Transformers mythos alongside the likes of Hot Rod, Blurr, Ultra Magnus and Kup. Among the new Autobots introduced in TFTM, G1 Springer has always been one of my all-time favourite transformers. Maybe it's because he leads the Wreckers (which happens to be my favourite subgroup). Maybe it's because he gets the best lines. Maybe it's because of his wonderful characterization in the UK comics (i.e. Time Wars; Survivors; and more recently, Stormbringer and Spotlight: Kup for some of Springer's best). Maybe it's because he doesn't completely hog the spotlight. Whatever the reason, Springer's here to stay.

Springer is also one of the few Transformers that hadn't appeared outside G1 until very recently. The name Springer was first introduced in G1, of course. Then, the name went very, very silent until 2009. In the Transformers: Animated episode 'Five Servos of Doom', Springer made a blink-and-you'll-miss-him cameo. He was one of the holograms in Yoketron's dojo. Then, come the ROTF toyline. Springer was slated to appear in the movie, but like Prowl before him, Springer was dropped. Curse you, Michael Bay. A non-entity like Mudflap gets to be in the movie, but guys like Prowl and Springer gets ignored. Damn you Bay.

Anyway, Springer appeared early in the toyline, as part of the Legends class toys. Now with the preposterous prices of the toys (Voyagers and Deluxes of the ROTF line are very inflated here), for now I can only manage to buy deluxes at most. Fear not, their prices should drop soon. I hope.

ROBOT MODE

As always, Legends class toys are packaged in robot mode. Springer's robot mode appears to have taken cues from Incinerator of the first movie, but the designers improved upon it. Springer's face does resemble Incinerator.

The main colour is not the light green G1 Springer uses, but rather a heavy military green. The grays are much darker than G1 Springer's as well. A little bit of dark orange and silver touches up Springer's overall look. The paint job is just right, not enough to make him go neon. And a little black too.

Springer's poseability is rather limited, but considering his size, I'm giving him a little lee-way. The elbows and shoulders have somewhat limited articulation, while the part where the legs meet the waist are ball joints. The feet themselves can turn up an down due to the transformation.

However, I'm willing to forgive that for Springer's main trick. Two rotors sit on either side of his hand. The rotors can spin, and the hands can be bent in and out, so Springer can assume Incinerator-esque hands or 'normal' ones with the rotors on the wrists. It looks really cool, but I hope that Springer would be released in Deluxe size, with improved articulation. I would totally 'spring' for that.

ALTERNATE MODE

Similar to Incinerator, Springer transforms into a V22 Osprey. Only, instead of the rotors facing up (as it's supposed to), Springer's rotors faces forward. Not a big deal, and anyone who doesn't know what a V22 Osprey is supposed to look would pass it as some sort of older-fashioned airplane. The rotors of a V22 are tilt-rotors, so Springer's are in constant forward position, always ready, like the character.

Nothing much you can do here, but it's kinda fun spinning his rotors. The feet are very prominent at the tail, and turning him around shows his head clearly on the bottom. Oh, yes, and his name is tampographed onto his wings with silver paint. 5PR1 and N63R on either wings. Cute.

Marks out of ten for the following:

Transformation 1/10 Very easy, but fun nevertheless. You don't even need to glance at the instructions for this.
Durability 6/10 Legends class toys are usually sturdy due to their compact sizes, but Springer's rotors might snap. You really, really don't want that to happen.
Fun 9/10 He's Springer. He got those damn rotors. Now if only he had been bigger. Let's say a Scout or Deluxe class.
Price 5/10 For a Legends class toy, he is worth it. However, the local stores actually nearly doubled the prices of all toys. Damn them.
Overall 9/10 Go get him, he's an awesome toy.